Hatch cover



Nov. 17, 1925-.

J. LA FRANCE HATCH COVER Filed July 11, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. f'mh a c l V i l l I am 1 BY ATTORNEYJ' Nov. 17, 1925- 1,562,344 J. LA FRANCE HATCH COVER File y 1923 {Sheets-Sheet 2 w i l] [His i {Ill f i HH- I I' l {'h t i M 5 a N i ll'l 35 I I g' r Sm J\ I I J H1 Q i Hll s I H 4 Hm I "2 H, \l 7;: 1 J v I! L l| II b '1 I I [I l I I! II 1' INVENTOR. I 73611, lla '7-aaca I BY 6- A TTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

uru'rsn STAT S Parent caries" JOHN LA FRANCE, or LORAIN, :310, assrenora TO THE AMERICAN snrr BUILDING COMPANY.

HATCH COVER.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, JOHN LA FRANCE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lorain, county of Lorain, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hatch Covers, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention, relating, as indicated, to hatch covers, is more particularly directed to an improved type of supporting means for nested or connected hatch covers of the type now commonly used on freight boats used on the Great Lakes. The principal object of the invention is the provision of a means for supporting the hatch covers at one end of the hatchway opening in such a way as to enable the hatch covers to practically entirely clear the hatchway opening and at the same time to readily support the very considerable weight of a series of nested covers. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following descri tion set forth in detail certain mecha- Inizm embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in whichthe principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings 2- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a combing surrounding a hatchway opening and the covers therefor; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is a vertical section through the end wall of the coaming showing the (.(HQl'b' in their piled or nested position, together with the supporting means therefor; and Fig. 5 is a view from within the opening looking toward the right of Fig. 4.

Freight boats-such as are used on the Great Lakes for carrying materials in bulk,

such as grain, coal, ore and the like, are usually provided with a series of hatchway openings, each of which extends transverse- 1y of the deckof the boat, the various hatchways being arranged in parallel throughout the central portion of the vessel. Each of these hatchways 1, shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

are surrounded by a hatch coaming 2 and are normally covered by means of a series of hatch covers8 which overlap each other,

as indicated in Fig. 1. Each of these hatch f covers 3 is ordinarily formed of sheet metal and is provided with a strip 4 secured thereto, having a beveled face 5 which engages with a correspondingly beveled face. 6 on a block 7, which is secured to the next adjacent hatch cover 3 so that when the uppermost hatch covers 8 of the two series exten d-, ing toward either side of the opening from its center are drawn toward the center of the o )ening to cover the hatchway, the beveled faces on the plates 4 and 7 engageeach on to the next lower cover, and so on'until the entire series of sections 3 are disposed upon the end sections 10. These end sections 10 are provided with downwardly eX- tending flanges 11 at their inner sides, to which are secured brackets 12 carrying rollers 13 that engage beneath and against a plate or trackway 14% which is firmly secured to the side 15 of the coaming 2. The end section 10 is also provided with a'member 16 secured to the flange 11, and then extending diagonally upward to the horizontal portion of the section, to whichit is also firmly secured, the upper or substantially horizontal portion 17 of this plate engaging a roller 18 carried in a bracket 19, which is'fastened to the end wall of the coaming 2.

The cover sections are slid first on to the end section 10 and then the entire series moved over the edge of the coaining. Their weight is supported, first, upon the roller 18 which is firmly secured to the end of the coaming, and as they move out over this roller, by the engagement of the roller 13 against the lower side of the track 14. A.

two-point support is in this way provided which firmly supports the very considerable weight of the nested or stacked cover. sections and also carries these covers in a position which substantially clears the hatchway, allowing full play for the loading or unloading mechanism. To replace the covers in position the uppermost cover is drawn toward the center of the hatchway, and when the block 4 on this cover engages the block 7 on the next lower section it draws this section toward the center of the opening, and the same action is repeated until all of the nested covers have been Withdrawn from over the end section 10, and the section 10 has in turn been rolling back into position at the end of the coaining, in which position it is stopped by a flange 21 which engages against the upper edge 22 of the coaming and is there sealed against an angular plate 23 secured to the coaining, this angular plate serving the double purpose of reinforcing the coaming and of forming a seal for the flange 21 on the end section.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the "following claims or the equivalent O'E such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention V 1. The combination with spaced parallel hatch coamings, a series of covers movably supported at either end upon said coamings, said covers lying parallel and overlapping each other, whereby movement of the sai e in one direction will cause said covers to be superposed upon the end one thereof, and means supporting such end cover when in a position extending over the end of said coaming, said means including two track-i Ways and two rollers one of said trackways being mounted on said coaming and the other on said end hatch cover, and said rollers being also mounted one on said coaming and one on said cover and engaging said trackways.

2. The combination with spaced parallel hatch coamings, a series of covers movably supported at either end upon said coainings, 7

said covers lying parallel and overlapping each other, whereby movement of the same in one direction will cause said covers to be superposed upon the end one thereof, and means supporting such end cover when in a position extending over the end of said coaining, said means including two sets of trackways and two sets of rollers, one set of trackways being mounted on the sides of said coaming and the other on the under side of said end cover, one set of rollers being mounted on said end cover to engage the first set of trackways and the other set of rollers being mounted on the end of said coaming and engaging the other set of tracln ways.

The combination with spaced parallel hatch coamings, a series of covers movablv supported at either end upon said coani said covers lying parallel and overlapping each other, whereby movement of the same in one direction will cause said covers to be superposed upon the end one thereof, means for supporting the end cover wien an open position extending outside of said coaming, including a roller mounted on the end of said coaming and a bearing member mounted on the under side of said cover and adapted to roll over said roller to support said superposed covers to the outside of said coamlng, and a trackway on the side of said coaming and a roller on said end cover on gaging under said trackvvay to prevent backward tilting of said superposed covers.

4-. The combination, of a coaming, a tracl way secured thereto, a hatch cover movable over one end of said coaming, a roller mounted on said hatch cover and engaging under said trackway, and a trackway on the under side of said cover and a roller on the end of said coaming adapted to support said cover on said trackway coaming.

Signed by me, this 3 day of July, 1923.-

JOHN LA FRANCE. 

